The Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) president Francie Gorman has that said the IFA is to attend Saturday’s protest against Mercosur organised by Independent Ireland in Athlone.
“We would strongly encourage farmers to attend next Saturday to convey their opposition to Mercosur,” Gorman said.
“It is a massive issue and we need a united front.”
Gorman stated that the 18 December protest in Brussels attended by the IFA and organised by the EU umbrella group for farm organisations was “crucial” to postponing member states’ make or break vote on the deal, which had been due to take place that day.
“However, there is still huge pressure on from the EU Commission and certain Member States to ratify the deal as soon as next week,” the IFA leader warned.
“It is vital that our Government lives up to its commitment in the Programme for Government to work with like-minded countries to block the deal.
“The so-called ‘safeguards’ are only a fig leaf. They do not change the substance of this deal.”
Gorman said that the association’s office in Brussels is “monitoring developments by the hour” around a planned meeting of member states’ ambassadors on Friday.
He stated that the IFA “would be concerned that there may be an attempt at this meeting to ratify the deal”.
Blocking minority
For member states to reject the deal, it would require at least four EU countries with a combined population equivalent to at least 35% of the EU’s population.
The proportion of the EU population made up by Ireland is around 1%, with the equivalent in France being 15%, Italy at 13%, Poland at 8%, Hungary at 2% and Austria at 2%.
“The Irish Government cannot block this on their own, but they can work with others to maintain the blocking minority,” Gorman explained.
Concern
The IFA president went on to refer to the joint Irish Farmers Journal/IFA investigation into antibiotics that were freely available for purchase without prescriptions in Brazil when explaining the association's concerns with the EU-Mercosur free trade deal.
He also highlighted that the recent recall of Brazilian beef from 12 EU member states due the presence of illegal hormones in the supplies.
Read more
Over 10,000 farmers to descend on Brussels
Farmers take their fury to the streets in Brussels
Independent Ireland to hold anti-Mercosur protest in Athlone
The Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) president Francie Gorman has that said the IFA is to attend Saturday’s protest against Mercosur organised by Independent Ireland in Athlone.
“We would strongly encourage farmers to attend next Saturday to convey their opposition to Mercosur,” Gorman said.
“It is a massive issue and we need a united front.”
Gorman stated that the 18 December protest in Brussels attended by the IFA and organised by the EU umbrella group for farm organisations was “crucial” to postponing member states’ make or break vote on the deal, which had been due to take place that day.
“However, there is still huge pressure on from the EU Commission and certain Member States to ratify the deal as soon as next week,” the IFA leader warned.
“It is vital that our Government lives up to its commitment in the Programme for Government to work with like-minded countries to block the deal.
“The so-called ‘safeguards’ are only a fig leaf. They do not change the substance of this deal.”
Gorman said that the association’s office in Brussels is “monitoring developments by the hour” around a planned meeting of member states’ ambassadors on Friday.
He stated that the IFA “would be concerned that there may be an attempt at this meeting to ratify the deal”.
Blocking minority
For member states to reject the deal, it would require at least four EU countries with a combined population equivalent to at least 35% of the EU’s population.
The proportion of the EU population made up by Ireland is around 1%, with the equivalent in France being 15%, Italy at 13%, Poland at 8%, Hungary at 2% and Austria at 2%.
“The Irish Government cannot block this on their own, but they can work with others to maintain the blocking minority,” Gorman explained.
Concern
The IFA president went on to refer to the joint Irish Farmers Journal/IFA investigation into antibiotics that were freely available for purchase without prescriptions in Brazil when explaining the association's concerns with the EU-Mercosur free trade deal.
He also highlighted that the recent recall of Brazilian beef from 12 EU member states due the presence of illegal hormones in the supplies.
Read more
Over 10,000 farmers to descend on Brussels
Farmers take their fury to the streets in Brussels
Independent Ireland to hold anti-Mercosur protest in Athlone
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